The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-08
WOMEN T0ILLIKESLAVES
A BAD STORY FROM PATERSON'S
LINEN THREAD WORKS.

The Toilers Compelled to Stand Bare
footed on a Water-Covered Stone
Floor All the Year Round Their
Clothing Wet by the Spray From the
Cylinder.
MINNEAPOLIS, Oct 7.-At the meeting of
the General Assembly of the knights of
Labor to-day General Secretary Litchman
read his report 1t showed that the mem
bership of the order on July l last was 1885,
600, not including $4,000 in arrears. The
receipts for the fiscal year ending July
were shown to be 1888, ,131, giving a balance
ON hand of sos, ,641
The General Secretary makes a number
of recommendations, which may be sum
married as follows: That the subject of
establishing a Cooperative Savings Asso-
citation be considered by the committee on
the state of the order, and if it be deemed
advisable, proper authority is given
to secure an act of Incorporation for the
organization and the management of such
institution; that the General Secretary have
entire control of his office force: that State
Assemblies be made compulsory instead of
permissive; that the proper committee con
slider the demand for some sort of regalia
for the members of the order and the
udlBeS LD bt WpIll at IuDeftlS. ana InaU
there be legislation which will make more
stringent prohibition of the use of the name
of the order or any of its symbols for bust
ness purposes.
CRUELTY TO WOMEN.
Mrs. Lenora NJ. Barry, General Investi-
gator of the order, made her annual report.
embracing the results of her inquiries into
the condition of the working women of the
country. She stated as evidence of the
cruel treatment of working women in some
places the fact that III the linen thread
works at Paterson, n j., the women are
compelled to stand on a stone floor in water
the year round, most of the time barefooted
with a spray of water from the revolving
cylinder flying constantly against their
breast, and the coldest night in winter, as
well as the warmest in summer, those poor
creatures must go to their homes with
water dripping from their underclothing
along their path, because there
could not be space or few
moments allowed them wherein
to change their clothing. Pittsburg, she
said. would be a good place Tor some to
come who are constantly talkingo of womens'
sphere. Women are employed in the manu-
featuring of barbed wire and underground
cable, in cork works, pickle factories,
bakeries, sewing of all kinds and all other
branches of business at which women are
employed elsewhere. She visited large
establishment there, part of which is to
be- fitted mp for the manufacturing of nails,
at which women are TO be employed
The report of the General Executive
Board of the Knights of Labor says that
the board has acted on 1883 cases during
the year, including requests, appeals, pro
tests, demands, applications, queries and
complaints. Most of them however, were
insignificant, and few have any public in
tereSt.
At the afternoon session reports were re-
ceved from the Committee on Education
and Conspiracy Laws. j. p. McGaughey,
Secretary of the Cooperative Board, pre-
sented its report, which makes many valu-
able suggestions as to the future government
of the board The various reports were
turned over to the Distribution Committee,
as were the resolutions presented by the
District Assemblies
Mr.. Powderly said tonight: "This is the
best convention we have had in years; the
best set of men | ever saw We are five
days ahead of the Richmond convention in
point of time"